Lent

Lent is the forty-day season of fasting, prayer, and penance that prepares the faithful for the celebration of Easter — the Resurrection of Christ. It begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Thursday evening (CCC 540, 1438).

The Forty Days

The forty days of Lent recall the forty days Jesus fasted in the desert before his public ministry (Matthew 4:1–11), the forty years Israel spent in the desert before the Promised Land, and the forty days Moses spent on Mount Sinai. Forty is the biblical number of testing, preparation, and transformation (CCC 540).

The Three Pillars of Lent

Lent is lived through the three classic penitential practices: prayer (intensified attention to God), fasting (abstinence from food and self-denial), and almsgiving (generous giving to those in need). These three work together to purify the soul, strengthen the will, and conform the Christian more closely to Christ in his Passion (CCC 1434).

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Church's fasting requirements during Lent? The Church requires fasting (one full meal, two smaller meals that together do not equal one full meal) on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstinence from meat on all Fridays of Lent. These are the minimum requirements — the Church encourages more (CCC 2043).

What does "giving something up" for Lent mean? Voluntary fasting and self-denial during Lent — "giving something up" — is a concrete practice of the self-discipline Lent calls for. It is most fruitful when the sacrifice is united to prayer and almsgiving, not merely an exercise in willpower (CCC 1438).